#i wish there was more gay to balance out with the lesbian

[sierraluvzcodyy]

Randomly Generated Total Drama Rarepairs!1!!11!1 (ooc post because im bored)

So I made a wheel and spun it a bunch of times and here are the ships I got

Katie x Cody

Gwen x Alejandro

Izzy x Alejandro

Beth x Sadie

Leshawna x Owen

Alejandro x Owen

Ezekiel x Owen

Zeekecest

Noah x Heather

Sierra x Courtney

Beth x Harold

Sadie x Leshawna

Harold x Leshawna

Gwen x Noah

Gwen x Heather

LIndsay x Alejandro

Cody x Tyler

Leshawna x Heather

Ava x Sierra

Idk if I should spin and make more so lmk if u want me to do that

Not Sierra OUT!!!

[lurkingshan]

Just saw your tags on turtle’s post and would love to hear more of your thoughts on Cheum

Oh, boy. Okay, I guess we’re doing this. So, when I think about Cheum I am usually making this face.

And embodying Oprah what is the truth.gif, because I think she is incredibly underwritten to the point of incomprehensibility. I think the term I used with @so-much-yet-to-learn to describe the writing for Cheum was "a void of characterization.”

By which I mean, I don't understand anything about her. I don't know what she wants or what she cares about. I don't know anything about her relationship with April. I don't know why she is friends with these guys or which she has real bonds with, if any. I don't know why she does things or whether I am supposed to see her as a neutral observer, a voice of reason, or another chaotic shit stirrer. I've seen some confusing messages from the creators about her that don't track with what I'm seeing on screen, so I find it hard to parse their intent versus the impact of what she is actually doing in the story.

But what I can tell you is that based on what I've seen, I don't like or respect her, and I certainly don't see her as in any way better or above the other characters in this story. Let me sum up what we've seen of Cheum over the course of the story:

She is mean to her friends, making lots of catty, passive aggressive remarks that dig at their sore points and taking sides against each of them on a whim

She pushes Mew to date Top and then to forgive him for cheating, to the point of ignoring Mew's stated wishes to conspire to help Top get back into his space

She somehow makes Ray nearly getting arrested all about her and in general gets overly involved in the boys' drama before turning around and berating them for causing her stress

She is judgmental and shaming about gay sex, making Boston out to be a predator for having a lot of sex and leveling a homophobic attack against him by claiming he took advantage of her "straight" brother

She lacks grace and humility and doesn't admit it or apologize when she is wrong, sticking to her bias against all evidence

And we have seen precious little in terms of positive attributes to balance this. We haven't seen her show up for any of the boys as a true or loyal friend. She seems reasonably good at school and conscientious about the hostel project, but we don’t get much there either. She's not even fun! Her function in the story is to be an antagonist to each of the boys in turn, even as the narrative seems to sometimes be suggesting that she is outside the drama.

It all reads very confused to me, and I can't say with any certainty how much of it is intentional and how much is just failures of writing and editing. She's not getting enough screen time for a confident read on who she is, and what she does get feels half-baked. At this point, I think it's safe to say Cheum is just a poorly executed character who has little purpose besides being the token lesbian in the friend group.

[coraniaid]

🔥 about tara

OK, so for the record I like Tara a lot. She's definitely in my top ten favorite characters. I am still in the early stages of a (painfully slow) Season 4 rewatch, and one of the things keeping me going is the thought I will get to see Tara again soon.

I think Tara's death is very sad and I can understand why Amber Benson felt poorly treated by the way it was handled (especially with the stupid gimmick of adding Tara to the opening credits just for that episode). On balance -- and especially given the context arround her introduction and her relationship with Willow -- I think that it was probably a fairly significant mistake from a writing perspective for at least a couple of reasons. (It's not really a good look to kill off half of your show's groundbreaking lesbian couple, whatever the context, and the writers didn't really seem to have any sort of coherent plan for what to do with Willow afterwards.)

But it kind of irks me when I see it described as an obvious case of the Bury Your Gays trope because ... it really isn't?

Tara doesn't die because she's gay: she doesn't die shortly after coming out, she isn't targeted because she's a lesbian; she isn't, in fact, targeted directly at all. Her death is basically just a stupid random accident. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Neither is Tara treated as more expendable by the narrative because she's a lesbian. By the time Tara dies, Buffy (and the Angel spin-off) had already killed off (among other recurring and at least occasionally sympathetic characters) Jenny Calendar, Kendra, Larry, Doyle, Forrest, Joyce and Darla. By the time both shows end the writers will have also killed off Jonathan, Anya, Cordelia, Fred and Wesley. Buffy isn't quite a show where Anyone Can Die, but certainly it's one where anyone can die if they're not in the Core Four (and if they're not vampires Buffy has slept with, in which case they can die for a little bit but they'll get over it).

And nor is there some sense that Tara's death affects the rest of the group any less than any of the others on the above list. On the contrary, other than Joyce, who is the protagonist of the show's actual mother and had been a presence in the show for almost twice as long as Tara was, she gets mourned for longer and by more people than anyone else on that previous list. (Xander and Willow's supposed childhood friend Jesse gets mourned so little I couldn't even bring myself to add him to the list.)

Yes, the show is far from perfect. It definitely is, at various times, racist, sexist and homophobic, often in ways that cannot at all be dimissed as the show being a product of its time. I think you could certainly argue that Tara was a victim of the show's persistent narrative misogyny (Willow's first girlfriend, Giles's first girlfriend on the show, and both of Xander's girlfriends die, but neither Oz nor Riley die and neither Angel or Spike die in a way that matters).

But Tara's death isn't automatically an example of the Bury You Gays trope just because she dies and was a lesbian. Even though, as I said, it was a probably the wrong decision for the character and the show and I wish it hadn't happened.

--

Oh, also, a bonus hot take:

In a hypothetical Season 7 where Tara survived, I really don't think I can see her relationship with Willow lasting long. The show sort of forgets about it in favor of advancing the subplot in which Willow becomes a magic addict after her Evil Friend Amy takes her to see a drug dealer and then forces her to relapse, but .... Willow's supposed magic addiction isn't why she and Tara broke up. They broke up because Willow was messing with Tara's memories and consent, well before she'd ever met Rack or de-ratted Amy. Willow hadn't actually done anything to address the things that made her take Tara for granted and consider herself entitled to mess with her mind with magic at all. She'd been sad about the relationship ending, sure, and Tara missed Willow, but ... Willow was absolutely the same person who did this to Tara.

The show doesn't bother to address the actual reason she and Tara broke up, preferring the cheap shock death just when they'd gotten back together again. But after a while I think Tara would have realized this, and without the shock of losing Tara in the first place I think Willow would find it very hard not to fall back into her old habits. Habits which have nothing to do with Amy's supposed malign influence. After all, Willow was trying to use magic to change her best friend's mental state without his consent as early as Lovers Walk, a full year before she ever met Tara. And when she and Oz broke up that same season she very quickly started talking about wishing she had a way to "make [him] trust me". This is much more a part of who Willow is than any addiction to evil magic.

[mamawasatesttube]

Hi hello,

Random question, but what do you headcannon cassie to look like and dress through-out her teens into adulthood? Both as wondergirl and as cassie? On that same vein, what adult superhero name do you like for her?

Anywhoosies, wishing u a great day!

late teenage into early 20s cassie is grappling with comp het pretty hard and tries to grow her hair out and dress more femme. she hates it but she doesn't know she hates it for a hot minute. this is both as wonder girl and as cassie because she barely exists as a civilian at all for a long time. "cassie sandsmark" publicly was wonder girl for a while, and she tried coming up with a fake name and identity to be a civilian again in tt03, but it was rough on her and she ultimately gave up on it.

so i think that really just weighs on her - she's a hero 24/7, she's leading the titans, she's basically letting the vigilante life consume her and she's gonna crash and burn out hard any day now. i think donna sees this and goes hey... you know you don't have to be exactly like me, right? in fact i think you need a vacation. let's go to themyscira for a bit. and its big sis lil sis bonding time but also for the first time cassie catches herself thinking um... women 😳 women? 😳 oh god. women 😳 and she has a whole crisis about it.

when she comes back from her vacation she does feel a lot more in touch with herself. the problem is that what she sees there (dissatisfied with her work-life balance, worn out, starting to confront her internalized homophobia) freaks her out. so she kind of has a crisis and hacks her hair off with a pair of scissors in the middle of the night and then looks in the mirror like. oh GOD. what did i DO??? oh god oh fuck who do i know who can fix this and won't ask me questions if i say i don't wanna talk about it hhghnggrhgnn...

so she shows up in kansas wearing a beanie at like 1am like kon Please. help. 😭 and she feels So guilty bc he's her ex and he's still kind and loving enough that he does get out of bed despite having an early morning with farm chores, and then he's all sleepily shuffling to the bathroom with her like here. sit. i'll fix your bangs. jeez. and the vibes are so... you know. bathroom light late at night spilling into the hallway. he's cutting her hair. krypto is peering at them from the doorway like why the fuck are you awake. cassie's on the verge of tears bc she wants to tell him why she did this but she's terrified it'd hurt him if she was like i think i was never actually in love with you

but when she finally says it he just stares at her. and then stares at her some more. and then he starts? laughing?? and at first she's kind of hurt like uh. that was serious and also pretty hard to say, what's so funny. and hes just almost in tears holding her hands in the bathroom by the sink like. cassie. ive been so scared of telling you i think im gay. for like. 3 months now. cassie i hooked up with an alien several weeks ago and i had a whole crisis i just refused to tell anyone about. um. yeah. and she's like. YOU WHAT? ALIEN HOOKUP? CONNER KENT? and hes like NOOOO WE ARENT TALKING ABOUT IT. YOURE A LESBIAN LETS TALK ABOUT THAT. but its like. oh! and they click back into place as best friends instead so much more easily than they ever dated. it's about the late night catharsis of it all.

this is a lot of words to say that after this i think she embraces the short hair and starts leaning into masc presentation again. i am a butch cassie truther for LIFE. get that girl some cargo shorts and a carabiner for her lasso STAT. i'm talking those truly heinous cargo pants that unzip at the knees to become shorts. formal cassie rocks the blazer with a bra underneath look. cassie lingerie is a tank top with no bra. she's butch to the bone baybee

as for her adult hero name, i still kinda waffle about it but i've Tentatively settled on "xenia"!! it's taken from one of zeus's epithets and has to do with hospitality, kindness, and the protection of strangers (yknow those rules about breaking bread with strangers etc, those are also called xenia). the og meaning had to do with the idea that a stranger could be a god in disguise so you should always honor strangers, but i think cassie would do a sort of converse of that with it, like i've got the power and i'm gonna use it to protect people i don't know, not for the idea of a boon but because it's who i am. still potentially workshopping this, though.

[lesbian-trash-panda]

✨Q Rated: The Rise of Kyoshi

A✨Q - Amazing & Queer, Recommended

Welcome to Lesbian Trash Panda, where I recommend the finest treasures and the best trash a gay raccoon can find. Today’s entry is the first book in the duology about everyone’s favourite Earthbender Avatar - The Rise of Kyoshi!

Summary: If you watched Avatar: The Last Airbender, you’ll be familiar with Kyoshi, the intimidating 300-year-old badass who brought balance to the world two cycles before Avatar Aang.

Kyoshi has a fandom reputation as a merciless killer, but this book — you really see why!

Haha, just kidding, she’s a bisexual simp. The murder is only a side quest.

“The Rise of Kyoshi” follows the longest-lived Avatar from humble beginnings as an orphan to her youth as a servant girl to discovering her gifts, joining a bandit gang, fighting pirates, and taking on some of the most brutal villains in the Avatar universe. Also, she is a huuuuuuuge dork for Rangi, her Firebender bodyguard/friend-who-is-girl/maybe more??? This book is 60% revenge fantasy, 40% pining teenager in love. Kyoshi is part Batman part Sappho and we love her for it

Why you should read it: Did the Batman/Sappho comparison not do it for you? Ok, here’s some more convincing.

Avatar the Last Airbender is one of the best-loved animated shows of all time. It blends the best of eastern and western animation & storytelling conventions to create a universe that is rich in beauty, lore, character, and heart. “The Rise of Kyoshi” adds new historical context and intrigue to the Avatar world while remaining exciting and engaged in its own narrative.

Kyoshi is adorable, and that’s not something you would guess based on appearances in the show. She’s complex and has a lot on her plate and she is frequently put in no-win situations, in a way we’ve never quite seen before in this world. I appreciate when a story is willing to set up a dilemma and follow through on it, instead of pulling a last minute fake-out (cough cough Legend of Korea S1). There are still surprises, but she is forced to make tough decisions and those decisions have consequences.

Rangi is also a great addition to the Avatar universe. Fans of KorraxAsami who were disappointed by how the relationship was censored in the animated show will delighted by how open and honest Kyoshi is about her feelings for Rangi, and I love her for it. I am impressed by the complexity of queer relationships in the Avatar universe - the Legend of Korea tie-in comic Turf Wars gave a brief history lesson on how the four nations feel about it traditionally, and it’s clear the creators put thought and attention into the development of that element of this universe. I am glad they get to explore this part of their world more here, in an avenue where they didn’t have to bind themselves according to homophobic advertising standards.

The book is also funny. It has that classic Avatar humour with some added, “Oh, Kyoshi, you gay sad sack!” Lots of fun characters, exciting moments, and surprising depth.

I just finished reading it to my partner and she loved it. Hopefully you will too! Get it at your local library or buy it, I dunno.

Content Warnings: Surprisingly grim violence, including war crimes - more so than the animated series; for teen readers

Recommended for: Fans of Avatar the Last Airbender and Legend of Korra, fans of historical fantasy, people who wish Bruce Wayne was a gangly teenage girl and Alfred was a badass teenage girl

[neeko-system]

SIGNALIS SPOILERS AND WHATNOT~~

finished my second playthrough of signalis, was going for the artifact ending. then loaded my save and got the memory ending. such a good game aaaa

the memory ending made me cry, it was really heartwrenching when ariane said sorry i dont remember, i just crumpled. watching elster be so exhausted was a lot.

not really sure if i understand the artifact ending. i feel like either its really vague (on top of all the other vagueness) or if im missing something. it kind of feels like a burial of arianes memory? like elster dies and we see ariane thikning about her and elster dancing in the wrecked ship? i’m not sure. maybe someone could give me their interpretation of it?

i also found out that theres a difficulty setting and really wished i had set it to survival before my second playthrough. woulda been nice!!! I do have one more ending so i might play the game again but might also just watch it on youtube and play the game again some other time(gotta let it ruminate so i can go back in with different eyes), I wanna get all the achievements anyways.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

all in all i fucking love this game a lot. very rarely do i replay a game so soon after playing it for the first time. its really tragic i’ll never get to experience this game for the first time again, but, so it goes. its such a beautiful game i will be thinking about it for a longgggggggggggg time. ive been wanting to talk about it so badly for so long but none of my friends have played it yet kyaaa!!! >_<

its crazy to me that the game exists the way it does. the style, the mechanics, the story, the music, everything about it oozes so much passion and care and thought. very few games have made me want to stare at every part of it to figure out how they made it look the way it did (THE GAME IS SO STYLISTICALLY RICH LIKE HOIW DID THEY DO ALL THAT) and the game mechanics are so nice to my brain, everything is so tactile and clicky and inventory management and ammo management and horror stratgey and the flesh and rust and death and love and lesbians and robots and anime!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

amazing game thank you rose engine, i hope they make more stuff because i really want to see it

edit:(thinking about the first time i played compared to the second. i was considerably less scared since i had a clue of waht was going on but the fear that i felt playing the first time was special to me. i really like games with stories about ‘time loops’ because the replay-ability is baked in in a cool way. especially with how the game throws information at you, viewing things again having experienced perspective shifts from information is really cool. seeing scenes again re-contextualized makes my brain go ^-^(hots quest ding sound) but going in completely blind and being afraid of everything (i especially remember being scared of the dream beach, i had literally no clue what to expect and it was nice) it all had a different flavor than the second time which is cool because i feel like i experience that kind of emotion change *with* elster. (girlie needs a FUCKING cuddle nap)

the way the game balances reality and the surreal i think is super neat. i love surrealist dream stuff a lot and i think that a video game is a super good medium for that kind of experiential stuff that really inspires me to wanna make video games. especially because then theres also this super nerdy sci fi stuff going on about robots and space regimes and magical tech(my favorite) and planetary systems and military systems and all that good shit. i similarly wanna get nerdy about stuff like military logistics while also telling a story about gay robots and girls that keep missing each other just barely in the space time continuum. i love that the game tells you a lot but also is vague and also says fuck you (affectionate) stop looking for answers and just feel it. it explains just the right amount to not feel esoteric while keeping enough vague to leave a lot up to interpretation/figure it out by playing it again/thinking about it. it plays with themes and reality and reoccuring symbolism and all that good shit that makes stories addicting to think about.) ((also one of the endings requiring beating the game once among other things that keep between playthroughs, yummyyy. games that know they are games/stories/worlds that are aware of themselves., thats good shit right there))

[ddazzlingblds]

Knocks on my screen. Little people in my gay little phone, I need some help with a decision.

I want to take on another H:SR character! However, I am torn between three choices of muse that all appeal to me:

- Moze: My archetype of character....... my favorite flavor of man. Those who have seen me move Wriothesley back in time know that balancing a good dose of silliness with a rough past is a thing I can juggle. A big mistake when trying to go in-depth about these kinds of characters is mischaracterizing them by tapping too much into their cravings for ''darker topics'' and angst, and risk making them an hodgepodge of edginess and traumas, instead of something that resembles stability after a chaotic life, and by being on the twt side of when Wriothesley was in the spotlight, do I know about it! I still wake up in a cold sweat some nights thinking about a darker, edgier Wriothesley, exactly like Dan Heng when he dreamed about Blade.

BUT: I don't think he'll gain much traction as of right now since he's a relatively new character and a walking spoiler for the newest story quest :( Perhaps with time he'll be seen around more often? Please take him on as a muse...... he's so so so interesting

- Argenti: oh no guys help me I have fallen for another Chivalrous Selfless Man......... I'm down so bad for Argenti, I could very probably bunker down and get obsessed with him for real if I pick him. Another character who balances the true concept of Beauty with a terrible past, so another point for him. He's genuinely such an uplifting and genuinely kind character who seems to always know what to say to show kindness. Knights...... knights characters are in my grasp. I'd need to study the concept of Beauty more and rewatch some old apparitions of his, but I could take him....... also in a fight. But mainly as a muse. He'd be a character study that I would enjoy fr. I also have a little silly idea for his icons already, but we'd have to see.

BUT: no cons in this. I love him.

- Acheron: giggles in lesbian. Acheron is genuinely one of the most interesting characters I have ever seen in H:SR, and I wish I could tear into this like that weird bread gif, but that'd be a long post. All I can say is that she is the truest Nihility character I ever came across, and isn't afraid to show the sadness related to her past and the fate she both choose and was chosen to walk. Once you square her up, her reasonings are clear and aligned with her Path. She's a straightforward but also complex character that fascinates me.

BUT: I have been pointed out that I can get extremely tired of introspection sometimes, and... yeah, there's unfortunately a lot of introspection here. I feel like I would love to tackle on complex stuff and then fry my brain and burn out.

[crehador]

quickfire thoughts on fall 2023 now that everything i'm watching has had at least three eps out

EXCELLENT

sousou no frieren: still very easily anime of the season, beautiful in visuals and in story. a quiet, subtle look at loss and grief, and life continuing beyond that. the structure is working perfectly imo, it never feels like there are too many or not enough flashbacks, i feel connected at all times to both the present day party and the himmel-era party

migi to dali: still doing an exceptional job of balancing creepy and funny, i said before that the only thing i can think of with a remotely similar vibe is the movie hot fuzz and while i think there's a different flavor of comedy here, i still stand by that (and that's a compliment bc hot fuzz is an excellent movie)

kamonohashi ron no kindan suiri: although i wouldn't say this is mind-blowingly outstanding in any single way, it's very well-done in just about every conceivable way and comes together as an extremely solid series

BORDERLINE EXCELLENT

overtake: after four episodes i'm so tempted to put it with the 'excellent' shows but have to admit it's just not objectively on that level, it is subjectively one of my current favorites of the season though. silly at times, fairly simple story, but really effectively done so far

ADORABLE

s rank musume: feel like this one is largely going to slip through the cracks because it looks like your typical fantasy-action/adventure series, but doesn't stand out in that genre. the cute/soothing family moments are what stand out to me, but understandably that's not what most viewers of the genre are looking for. remains to be seen if a more action-y plot will build up, have doubts about how effective that will be

yuzuki-san chi no yon kyoudai: VERY CUTE with some very real moments and struggles, the cr subs debacle in the first ep however did it no favors

atarashii joushi wa dotennen: VERY CUTE i almost wish they'd cast literally anyone except umechan for shirosaki bc with him the similarities to cool doji danshi are just too much lmao however umechan is in fact perfect for this character so why not let him play it twice i guess

hoshikuzu telepath: moe yuri that isn't afraid to say rocket science is for autistic lesbians, what could be better?

wataoshi: YURI OF THE SEASON SORRY HOSHIKUZU TELEPATH HERE'S SOMETHING THAT COULD BE BETTER i actually would put these two on a similar tier but wataoshi gets the edge for me because rae is so unapologetically, exuberantly gay and that is just so nice to see

SEQUELS

houkago shounen hanako-kun: tragically only four half-length episodes but it's nice to see these kids again, ogata megumi's hanako voice just hits in a way the jjk yuuta voice doesn't, for me, so very glad to hear it again

arknights s2: i'm liking the art even more than i did in s1? not sure if it's actually changed/improved, and imo s1 was already good, but anyway just really enjoying seeing all the faves moving and speaking!

spy x family s2: still cute of course what more can i say

b-project s3: MAN I'M TORN i don't dislike this season (we are getting so many kitakore shots) but i am so stressed out for tsubasa and i just want to see her catch a break! i'm sure the season will end in an uplifting way, but all the stress she's under right now makes me want to punch things

dead mount death play s2: it was good and is somehow still getting better, s2e3 which just came out is one of the best yet imo

GOOD FOR THE ACTION BUT NOT TERRIBLY MUCH ELSE

undead unluck: i kind of... don't like anyone here lmao but the over-the-top, high-octane action is not badly animated, it's just not gripping me on any level beyond that. it does however have the op of the season

ragna crimson: again it's failing to get me really invested in the story/characters but the action is not bad i guess, cast for this one is absurdly stacked so i'm not going anywhere

shangri-la frontier: this one's doing a GREAT job with its pacing and action imo, it's introducing the game mechanics in a way that doesn't feel too fast or too slow. only issue is there really... doesn't seem to be any stakes? like at all? which is not a problem for me personally, it just feels a bit like we're waiting for another shoe to drop

WATCHABLE BUT...

bullbuster: i'm kind of vibing with this after three episodes but i really can't imagine it finding an audience, it's not mech enough to really appeal to mech fans and it's not... typical office drama enough to appeal to typical office fans. it's a strange little combo that just happens to work for me, personally

NOT GOOD BUT I LOVE IT

kawagoe boys sing: this is a ridiculous series, i would say not as wild as number24 but kind of getting there. like number24 but more vanilla, less homoerotic. i loved number24 and I'M LOVING THIS TOO there are some genuinely interesting characters already and though i still currently want to punt kick that teacher into the sun i remain cautiously optimistic that he'll see some character development. at some point. maybe

NOT GOOD. JUST NOT GOOD. SORRY.

bokura no ameiro protocol: really feels like some late-2000s/early-2010s male wish fulfillment dramedy. lots of weird and unnecessary het nonsense going on. honestly would consider dropping if it were 24 episodes but since it's only 12 i guess i'll stick it out. for kimuryo. who is unfortunately playing such a rancid character

[v-sansings]

More asks :3

🌷, 🍎, 🍇, 🌈, Maybe with S1 ENA this time!

OKAY OKAY!!! Yay! I can do that!

🌷: Ehm…well, not *too* different. She’s just a little spacier in her happy form I guess. And more curious. Her sad side is pretty much the same, only there are times where she’s not as intense with it, but she’s just a blubbering mess. Poor bby…

But nah; I try to have a balance between both sides and to let V give love to both of them. They’re both very cuddly when sad, so if you see them under a blanket and huddled up together watching something; that’s your cue to leave the room and leave them alone.

🍎: Well, she’s definitely a girly girl when it comes to fashion…..anything else mmmmm…nah. She doesn’t really shave her legs lest she has to and her mother is disappointed in her ‘lack of manners’.

•She tends to collect really small and aurally pleasing things like can tops, small shiny rocks, acorn caps, and bouncy balls.

•Once she arrives in ENA’s world, her inner workings as a transitioning human to code being….is kinda advanced for the program that makes up Ena’s home. So, she tends to buffer, stutter, and glitch when overwhelmed.

•Hopeless romantic to the core. And loves anything artsy fartsy. It’s one of the few things she thrives in.

•She’s a very cuddly girlfriend; physical touch is her love language. She lives for hugs and cuddles, gentle kisses, and subconsciously reaching for someone’s hand.

•DO NOT try to touch her hair unless you wish for death: only people she trusts can touch it or play with it.

🍇: Shooshi Mooshi’s reaction to ENA’s three eps and the remix. I ended up researching it for myself because it was obvious he skipped some parts; I watched it and ended up researching the fandom and found HotLegs101_art, Colexicanadraws, Zeravera, and Bashzzey. And I fell in love with the little lemonberry lady. And then I found DBBQ and the stories started up(I added the titles later).

���: Yes I do! I may be bi IRL, but I’m letting out my lesbian side with ENAverse V. Both versions are gay as FU—

And ENA…I haven’t really thought about it, but she’s either gay, bi, or pan. I’m not really sure. But either way; she’s a woman lover. A woman kisser, if you will😇

Hope this answers your questions!

[macgyvertape]

Castlevania Nocturn s1 thoughts/liveblog

This season more like Castlevania: colonialism, and power structures that support it

For a Symphony of the Night adaptation the inclusion of symphonic and operatic music was fantastic, especially the attention to the times the music was diegetic vs nondiegetic

Really enjoyed how many outfit changes characters got, I really want some meta about the Emissary's costume changes because she has a wide range of outfits from modern to 2 different historical ones.

Favorite plotline: the whole Orlox/Mizrak relationship and both characters (it probably seems obvious based on what I focused on), least favorite plotline Richter gets his mojo/magic back based on processing grief aka vibes

Felt much more like a coming of age story line for the protagonists, and (without checking a timeline) them a few years younger than the series 1 Trevor/Sypha /Alucard

This show really balanced well the introduction of the cosmic threat (cat goddess filling Dracula’s place) vs local threat (Emissary here vs leader night creature s1 of main show) in a way I haven't seen since s1 of the original show

more liveblog notes below cut

I knew going in Olrox was gay, a fan favorite favorite of blogs I check, and had gifs portraying him sympathetically. Funny how that probably influenced my initial impression of the opening

Lmao of course the abbey is on the evil vampire side considering I saw gifs beforehand of one of the guys with Olrox. (edit: funny that Olrox isn’t with the main vampire group at that time in the season, so I was right about the alliance for the wrong reason) 

I like how the Emissary's clothing is so modern I can't tell if she's wearing hoof heels or has cloven feet

Edouard’s singing sounded super awkward without musical backing, sure the fact its Dido's lament is foreshadowing. 

Edouard has a tailcoat, I didn’t expect to see it during this time period considering this is before the Regency. Olrox is wearing a frock coat, that’s older style?

Oooh wish they had done the fight to Vivaldi’s summer presto instead and made it nondiegetic music vs generic action music

Devil forgemaster automation!? Note to self check when first steam engine is and the Victorian times which is when I usually thing steam/magic punk

Also lmao Olrox gets the last word again

Ok so they have the French aristocrat vampires doubling as confederate vampires with the explicit colonialism slavery

Do we get more evil lesbian vampries with a take over the world plan?

I’m glad night creatures are a thing here too, its such fun monster designs

Real inversion of Castlevania’s Isaac having forge mastering be freedom from slavery and here it be a process used by the institution of the church as a method of slavery

How does “we need a plan” mean “children with no experience of the world and no experience of the hard choices adults make” in Annette’s response and not have a response because the subject changes??? Like Richter has a point about snapshot moral decisions, 2 or 4 doesn’t have experience so they should really work out any difference of opinion

Oh no the last alive mother figure keeps being helpful that’s a death flag 

Damn lol Olrox and abbey sword guy were dtf Grindr quick. Ass shot!! lmao having that final conversation about demons and Olrox is doing it leaning back, legs spread, dick out 

Can’t wait to see how it goes paying that price, what demon and Olrox’s seemingly invested question “will you [pay the price]” edit: season 1 seems to have ended demon consequence free

The world building this season seems so much richer and broader than the previous Castlevania series, all these different types of demons, magic users, gods, and spirits

Nick pick note: ok the waterproofing can’t be good enough for water to not flow down the staircase into the cellars and give away the secret passage. ask me how I know water loves to travel into basements

I'm enjoying the Emissary's ahistorical fashion in modern club/bdsm gear. Holy shit the “all about sex with you priests, every orifice I have has teeth” holy shit vagina dentata. I literally had to rewind to make sure I heard that correctly 

When Maria’s mother was pushing the stone and talking about being there for people she loves I was thinking “wow considering the hair colors for Maria it  would be funny if the Abbot was her father because it would explain why Maria’s mother, a speaker, would be so defensive of him. But surely they won’t be that tropey predictable” then as soon as the eyes met I was like LMAO

Interesting that Olrox chose then to step in vs letting Mizrak fight Belmont, since maybe he’d be better off letting the Emissary get killed

Love vampires talking with vampires about being an immortal being trapped in the shadows as they power play each other 

“You’re the one with the brand on your forehead” this was such a metal af scene burning the slaver vampire in a cage of crosses. Especially the extremely distorted fisheye focus on the symbol that distort’s the vampries face even creepier 

Oh that’s a good shot of Maria being visually isolated in the black of the Abotts’s cloak when she learns he’s her father, with a bit of visual exaggeration.  The selected impressionism animation in this series is great

The Emissary is now in her second period style outfit (red militaryish tailcoat) the first being the black outfit worn for the funeral/graveyard that looked a lot more rococo aristocratic 

Wait wat, so the vampire messiah look like a white woman with red hair wearing double side petticoats in the European aristocrat style, who has a Russian name and was living in snowy Russia, but she’s talking like she is Sekhmet despite having no Egyptian characteristics at all. Like she looks nothing like the Emissary who is Egyptian. What’s up with that?

Grandpa Belmont is somehow beating “I attacked my son and devastated a country Dracula” in worst hurting a family member reaction to grief IMO

Lacrimosa is GOATed really just best choice to include for this moment especially how they did it with nondiegetic string accompaniment in Edouard’s PoV but that cuts out with the shift to Mizrak/Olrox PoV

“I love everything about adding tension to the relationship and denial of feelings with: "is [turning me into a vampire without permission] what you had planned for me" “Of course not… I’m not in love with you”

Fucking gun axe, and did the vampires just sit around listening to the family drama to know so much 

Nooo don’t hang a lampshade on an ending line be “witty, cunning, and brutal” then say “fuck it” which fits the standard 

Power play the Messiah calling Olrox a dragon when he turned into a Quetzalcoatl in ep1, and then doing a show of force to force him from an insincere bow into a deep on. You can tell he’s fucking pissed off

“Just read the fucking book” and Orlox gets the last word again lmao

Lmao the very on the nose bible verse lines “lift up thy feat” when the birds lift Maria up, the line about slipping after she nearly slips. Wonder what was done first; picking the psalm (Psalms 73:2-5) or the animation direction?

So I thought the vampire messiah was supposed to be an a fraud in identity, but damn she can control the moon. Or was Selhmet not a delusion but a actual magic being waiting to possess her and take over, as seen by the physical transformation to part cat?

I guess Orlox does care enough for Mizrak to get involved awww

Ah the establishing shot visible proof of the limit to the eclipse which doesn’t even cover all of France 

Love the angst breakup, Orlox/Mizrak favorite ship in the whole show

It felt obvious the mother figure character wouldn’t last the whole season but I wasn’t expecting her to be turned

Word Effect where The Emissary is built up as a power threat the whole season then she’s 1 hit KO to show Alucard’s power 

[hullomoon]

hullomoon's 2023 works: part one

it’s the end of the year, which means it’s time for a work round-up! i had a pretty busy year so i didn't post as much, but i also know i did more longer works. so it probably balances out in the end. if you haven’t yet, check out my 2019 roundup, 2020 roundup, 2021 roundup, and 2022 roundup! all works are ordered in chronological posting order.

part one | part two | part three | part four | part five | part six

[podfic] don't blow those pipes | Schitt's Creek | David/Patrick | 03:25

Patrick picks up another new instrument. David is not thrilled.

[podfic] your love is a secret i'm hoping, dreaming, dying to keep | Heartstopper | Nick & Nellie, Nick/Charlie | 0:10:06

“You know, you’re technically the first person I’ve come out to. Or first… creature.” Nellie licked his face. Or, five times Nick could only talk to Nellie about his feelings for and about Charlie, and one time he found the courage to talk to a human.

[Podfic] Haus Bylaws that Need Added to the Wall: No Hanging Chads | Check, Please! | Gen | multivoice | 0:10:37

If a Chad approaches Lardo, allow her to set up fucking ruining him before pouncing. [sub a) In all cases of Chad, Shitty is wingman because Bitty punched that one Chad.] (sub b) He deserved it.) {sub c) He totally did.}

[Podfic] winter's upon us, so won't you stay? | A League of Their Own (TV) | Jo/Maybelle | multivoice | 0:23:15

“I was just so worried about you when you left,” Maybelle says, eyes wide and full of softness. “I wish I coulda been there to take care of you, honey. You deserved that. You shouldn’t have had to leave alone.” No one has wanted to take care of Jo in so long. or: jo goes to maybelle's for the holidays, and finally figures out what she wants.

snowed in with you | Schitt's Creek | Rachel/Alexis | 4,079

Rachel just wanted to get away and destress. Then she learned that someone else was already at the cabin. And then they got snowed in.

99 Podfics | Podfic Fandom | multivoice | 0:16:01

Voiceteam Mystery Box 2022 presents their project for the "It's a Trap!" challenge. The challenge was: "Create an audio fanwork with contributions from at least 90% of this round's Voiceteam Mystery Box players. If at least 90% of players contribute, every Voiceteam player gets 90 points outside of their point cap. If less than 90% of players contribute, nobody gets any points. Either way, this challenge is completely meaningless pointswise." We didn't quite get to 90%, but we did make some beautiful chaos!

you came in like a wave when i was feeling alright | Stranger Things | Steve/Eddie | 840

Eddie likes to watch the rugby team practice

[Podfic] Sherlock Sands and the Mystery of the Pie Thief | Schitt's Creek | Alexis/Twyla | multivoice | 06:19

When Twyla Sands' pumpkin pie disappears from the table, she goes on a quest to discover the thief.

[podfic] a boy, a tender age | Stranger Things | Joyce & Steve | 01:08:53

Joyce Byers loves her boys. So when she's walking down the hospital hall in the late afternoon and she looks into a room, empty save for a lone boy on the bed, she thinks, well what's one more? my 101st podfic

[podfic] Haunted Doll Watch: Magic Earring Ken Doll Edition | Supernatural & My Brother, My Brother and Me | multivoice | 0:11:10

The listing: Haunted Ken Doll Seeks Gay Owner (Lesbian or bi okay too)

[bumblyburg]

ted lasso finale thoughts

Need the richmond women's team spinoff NOW!!!!!!!!!!! And it better have LESBIANS i swear to god!!!!!!!

As always the strongest part of this ep was the team dynamics. Roy joining the diamond dogs. Isaac with the penalty kick!!!! The fucking dance sequence callback T^T theres no place like afc richmond <3 Them winning the match but losing the whole thing was a good balance of success vs realism. I didn't know enough about football to predict it beforehand LOL but that probably worked in my favor bc i genuinely didnt know whether they would win or lose. Rebecca and ted's friendship was heartwarming as always. I was living in fear that they'd become a couple even though i knew that wasn't what the writers were going for, so I probably need to rewatch to fully enjoy it.

Tedependent lost RIP. it would have made sense but at the same time im kinda glad they didn't, at least this season. trent was still very much a side character and i just don't think the story beats were there for tedtrent endgame. the story would have had to been constructed differently, or it would need another season. I also liked how the main focus was ted & rebecca's friendship rather than either of their romantic relationships. I love a good romance but its not what this story is about.

Thats part of the reason why the dutchman return felt cheap to me lol. Sorry rebecca im always rooting for you but i just wasn't feeling it. Another part of that is probably because Ted and Trent had a much stronger foundation and we still didn't get to see even their friendship develop as much as i would have liked. Maybe ive been spoiled by all the trent this season idk. but i was just hoping for a little more. After all, it's not lost on me that we only got one confirmed gay couple at the end (we don't even know anything about Michael!!! Ugh sorry Im a michael hater he's so boring.)

Speaking of boring, I simply do not care about ted's family. So him moving back was... not really compelling for me. like none of the kansas characters are fleshed out at all. i wish they had done something more interesting with them so i could actually get invested. There was something there with michelle dating their couples therapist, but it ended up falling flat imo. Also Michelle being a teacher is a total copout, I would have preferred if she had an unexpected job that revealed a new side to her. Give her a personality outside of being a wife/mother/caretaker please and thank you.

I did like how Royjamie was left openended!!! thats the ship i care most abt and i knew it wasnt going to *actually* happen so im satisfied with what we got. I am in the (im assuming) minority of royjamie enjoyers that is against roykeeleyjamie. This episode really hammered it in why roy and jamie are not good for keeley LOL, but the signs have been there all along. Keeley needs to be her own boss for a bit! Roy and jamie are just not at her maturity level (lovingly), and they've got some misogyny to work through.

(I need to think on it more, but I'm pretty sure that I liked the way this episode/season handled the Roy And Jamie Are Lowkey Sexist subplot. Like the whole fighting over a woman thing is soooo trite atp, and i still dont know how i feel about them physically fighting over her or whatever. but the story was realistic about how these asshole male footballers are going to have some weird views about women, while still shutting that down those views. like not even giving them the time of day. Keeley literally shoos them out without a word LMAO. So idk need to think about it more but at least keeley didnt end up with either of them).

Hey you know who DOES deserve each other.... and makes each other better people, as represented by their football training arc.... the student is the teacher and the teacher is the student etc etc…… Anyways royjamie is real TO ME!!! (And brett goldstein and phil dunster, number one royjamie warriors. phil dunster wrote royjamie smut I will never get over that)

Overall im sad to see ted lasso go. i think i need to sit with all 3 seasons a bit more before forming my full opinion, but s1 will always have my heart. Mostly because evil jamie and evil rebecca are so so fun to watch.

[kitkatt0430]

B, N, U and Z for the fandom ask game please 👀

B - A pairing you initially didn’t consider but someone changed your mind

Harrisco actually. Its so obvious to me now, but it was seeing the fandom edits and the like here on tumblr that made me go 'huh, I should check this ship out' and then I went and devoured basically everything for the ship on Ao3 at the time. And then started writing for the ship myself.

N - Name three things you wish you saw more or in your main fandom (or a fandom of choice)

Well, in general terms, I wish I saw more aro headcanons from non-aspec people. I'm starting to see more of that to some degree but when I'm in the mood for aro characters the pickings are slim in fandom even when there's a canonically aro character. Or possibly especially when there's a canonically aro character? It's kinda gotten to where every time we get a canonically aro character in a show I wind up avoiding that fandom for a while because there's an uptick of allos going 'well actually what if i ship them romantically and ignore their queer identity anyway because fandom is boring without shipping' and well how dare I want representation that isn't erased by the fandom huh? (*insert big sigh here*) And that's not even touching what happens if you happen to mention headcanoning as aro a character who is popularly headcanoned as gay/lesbian but doesn't actually have a canonical sexuality mentioned. (Looking straight at Luke Skywalker and Queen Elsa.)

I think another thing I wish I saw more of in fandom was acknowledging character faults without it turning into character bashing. It's something I try to balance out in my fics, making space for character flaws to be called out while still showing them learning and growing from that. But I see a lot of fics out there where a single mistake in canon is the basis for damning that character forever and clearly they're secretly an evil monster. Its a phenomenon that happens more in some fandoms than others, but it does pop up everywhere and can be exhausting to run into. Cobra Kai seems to suffer from character bashing a lot in particular, which made my foray into that fandom rather short lived.

In the Flash fandom in particular, I wish there were more Gideon fights back against Eobard fics. It's a fun premise to write and Gideon deserves more love than canon gives her. So I'm always excited when I find that someone else has written her as more than a passive background character. (And then maybe Ao3 would finally stop conflating tags for Gideon on the Flash and Gideon on Legends as being the same character when they aren't...)

U - 5 favorite characters from 5 different fandoms

Yuri Lowell from Tales of Vesperia - He's a vigilante trouble maker who encourages delinquency in his friend Estelle (the Princess) and helps save the world because he's a good person who just wants to protect the people he loves and the world they live in. He's snarky and probably has a jail cell in Zaphias reserved specifically for him and has canonically shoved knights into the fountain for various reasons that had Karol going O_O why??? upon hearing it recounted later. (Yuri - I forgot about that. Still hilarious. *snicker*)

Cisco Ramon from The Flash - Genius mechanical engineer whose greatest power is his imagination because what else would let him create so many amazing inventions? He's steadfast and loyal, probably the kindest person on the show. His hair is amazing - which he knows quite well - and he gets flustered when complimented on it by cute guys. (Leo - Love the hair. Cisco - *blushes*). It's amazing when oblivious show writers think they've written a straight guy, but it's actually a character who is intensely bisexual.

Atton Rand from Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords - Snarky former Sith accidentally finds atonement and joins the rebooting of the Jedi. Or rejoins the Sith depending on the path you take in the game. Are you good or evil? Atton Rand is ride or die for you either way. Also there's a chance that he'll make fun of the 'are you an angel' line from The Phantom Menace and that cracks me up.

Bastila Shan from Knights of the Old Republic - She's very much the stereotypical uptight Jedi and it's actually no real surprise when she falls to the Dark Side (briefly or not depending on your actions in the game) but she's a lot of fun when she actually lets loose. It's interesting to see her learn to relax and make friends and drop the holier than though attitude the Jedi hammered into her. She just very much wants to be a good person and protect others. And if you play with her as the love interest (default love interest for guys, mods to unlock her for the ladies) then it is absolutely hilarious to hear her say 'shut up and kiss me, you fool'.

Zelos Wilder from Tales of Symphonia - Tragic backstory? Check. Covering his crippling depression with jokes and innuendoes? Check. Struggles to open up to his friends and be honest about his feelings? Check. Triple agent causing headaches for everyone? Triple check. But if you get him the highest relationship values he demonstrates he may actually be gay or bi as he hits on Lloyd ("put on a show that'll make me fall in love" is not a straight thing for him to say to Lloyd... at all) and there a scene that will only change if he has the highest values at that point in the game - the rest of the scenes are different depending on every character, not just him.

Z - Just ramble about something fan-related, go go go (prompts optional but encouraged)

Tales of Symphonia was the first game I played where player choices affected the game itself. While the game's ending doesn't really change, there are scenes in the game itself that are different based on the hidden relationship values system. I had no idea about this first time through and got Colette every time, but I learned about the hidden system as I started branching into fandom spaces and did replays with Raine, Genis, Presea, Kratos... and Zelos (sorry, Regal, I was just... uh, not super interested in you, my dude) and it was really Zelos who captivated me the most. And he's queer coded, heavily so, so I suppose it's really no surprise I adore the redheaded, gender non-conforming menace.

It was really my first real venture into fandom spaces beyond just fanfic too, so Tales of Symphonia is very near and dear to my heart for all sorts of reasons. I read a lot of fan theories about the game, but was still at a point where I was way too timid to really contribute my own too much. High school me was definitely struggling with self confidence at the time.

I've got a lot of headcanons for the game which have changed to some degree or other over time, so with the game's HD re-release happening in, like, three days, I've decided the time has come for a replay and I'm really hoping to see a bit of a fandom boom happening as new players discover this game and people who haven't played in a while rediscovering their love for it. Might be time to dust off my old fics, go on an editing spree, and start posting them on Ao3.

(So if you're reading this and considering picking up a new game to play... Tales of Symphonia. You know you wanna.)

[mithliya]

Omg, your mom tried to set you up?!!!!! With butch women no less?!!! Im so jealous idk if that would happene with mine 😭 recently she was ljke "oooo😉" at me about my sisters bf having a brother my age. I actually wanted to just go crazy insane bjork gif in that moment. ☹️ how dare you have men liking headcanons (?) about me. Idk whwtt would happen if she found out i was a lesbian. Like she also told me about how excited she was for me to have babies. When i was 13. :|

Also i live in gender capitol like we get taught gender identity spectrum in school and all. So thats why im not sure about there being butch women (or girls i guess bc .. im still a girl hezjnsjs) where i am and i keep feeling bad about having radfem? beliefs like is everyone going to hate me or is that just how it seems online xhxjd or. I dont know if that makes sense

I wish i could just fit in and go along w it but it feels so wrong to me, ... nopee even if i think youre cute im not going to affirm that youre not actually a woman bc your hair is short and you dont wear makeup or dresses it feels so demeaning for both of us. But then am i just making a big deal of nothing ?

Anywaays. Sending love bc peace and love on planett earth. :)

lmao since ive been out for quite some time now, my mom has gone thru the stages of grief and she reached a point where she’s accepted im a lesbian (she would try to convince me to get into a lavender marriage regardless for the sake of image but im not willing neither is my friend she keeps trying to set me up in a lavender marriage with) but she and my auntie have weird kinda homophobic beliefs on who im supposed to date. according to my mom & aunt, there has to be one “girl gay” and one “boy gay” ie one femme & one butch. they think if im gonna be dating women then they should be butch or otherwise masculine women bc it “balances” both parties of the relationship. they say im more feminine & shy & cute around butches and become more “womanly” so therefore i should be with butches 😭😭😭

SO basically yes my mom would meet butch lesbians in bahrain (they’re v recognisable in my country & have their own label too) and would immediately tell them about me and then exchange details w them. ive met 2 lesbians that way but ngl neither are my type and both have some major internalised homophobia to address. one of them was already in a relationship w a bi woman who’s going to leave her to marry a man (& just waiting until the day they must break up which was sad) and immediately started showing me her nudes (arab butches are the weirdest don’t even ask). the other one told me a fucked up story about how her bi ex left her to marry a man without telling her & when she got mad, her bi ex said “you’re just mad bc no man would want you with how you look”. a normal lesbian might’ve simply said “i don’t want men so idc” but the butch i met took it personally and married a man to prove a point. she got lucky bc he died within a few months of their marriage! he was trying to pressure her into sex and even complained to her family about it so if he didn’t die, who knows what trauma she would’ve faced…. also she told me she takes testosterone & steroids bc she’s a body builder and she has this kind of body smell that men often have (probs bc of the hormones) which were all big turn offs for me so. neither worked out.

my mom also still pressures me to have kids and has been since i was a baby 😭 but luckily she’s been overall supportive of me being a lesbian… hopefully your mom will be the same one day. heteronormativity is so annoying lol i hate how every gay person had to deal with our loved ones fantasising about us dating the opposite sex bc they assume we’d be OSA by default.

also no ur not making a big deal of nothing! it’s a big turn off for me having to pretend that a woman not being feminine means she’s not a woman. and it’s annoying having to pretend someone is my boyfriend or w/e else. i think it only becomes more of a turn off the longer you’re out too bc like damn too many of us already pretended to have boyfriends or to be interested in that stuff so being expected to do that to any capacity is just. bad feelings

[tvwolfsnake]

sometimes it feels like people on this site don’t know there are movies that are a) more than ten years old, b) not in english, or c) more than ten years old and not in english

[skyenemer]

Barbie: Big City Big Dreams is a lesbian romance set in New York and here’s why

So! The new Barbie movie came out a couple days ago and i did not anticipate that i’d want to write a whole essay enthusing about how in love the main characters are. Especially not after last year’s movie (Princess Adventure). But the protagonists said gay rights yet again, so Barbie fandom you can resurrect now-

This want to write about how much Barbie/Malibu, Barbie/Brooklyn nd Emily love each other is heavily inspired by this post on Diamond Castle — which is an amazing read!

Alright so, why write about Big City Big Dreams of all Barbie movies? Here’s a bit of background:

My sister nd i have made it our goal to watch every single piece of Barbie media that exists. A few days before it was released, we saw the trailer for Big City Big Dreams. At the time, we didn’t think much of it — thought they were gunna reuse the Princess and The Pauper plot yet again, plus we’re not big fans of the newer Barbie stuff (excluding Dolphin Magic, v fruity film 11/10). In summary, we weren’t all that excited — but we’d watch it anyway, ‘cause it’s Barbie.

Watched it and omllll was it funn; it’s essentially a lesbian romance story set in a performing arts summer camp in NYC, with surprisingly cool nd beautiful songs! For those reasons, imma rant to you about how gay it is.

(This post is super long and will focus more on Barbie/Malibu and Barbie/Brooklyn’s relationship since they have more screen time together, buuuut Emily has gotta be mentioned ‘cause the three of them together are adorableee).

———

Alright! So, the film begins with the Barbie we know, in a cab in New York, on her way to a performing arts school (Handler Arts Academy). According to what her friends say over the phone, Barbie worked really hard to get into the summer programme here. Her ardour could not be more evident as she fantasises fervently about what could come of this opportunity. (On a related note, we find out later that the programme’s best performing student gets to perform at Times Square).

When she gets there she somehow manages to lose her balance, causing her luggage to slide down the walkway in front of the academy. Fortunately for her, other Barbie skilfully catches it using ballet.

Seeing as their destination is same, the two start talking on the way into the school building. Their interaction here is slightly awkward with lots of giddy laughter, but this makes it all the more adorable. However, after a little while the conversation begins to flow; the chemistry is instant.

To prove my point, here’s some dialogue:

Barbie 1: “Oh my gosh! Thank you!”

Barbie 2: “I should be the one thanking you; I can never get enough practice in.”

Barbie 1: [giggling] “I wish I had two hands so I could applaud.”

Just cute, maybe even slightly teasing/flirtatious, remarks. They giggle at everything the other says, particularly because of the situation, and perhaps also because they’re nervous and excited to have just met.

Something that really cool about other Barbie is, as you’ll see again later, that whatever the situation she makes banter from it to make the other person feel comfortable. For Barbie, this is may be particularly comforting as she manages to get herself into all sorts of mayhem. They’re a good match!

This lasts until Barbie gets herself into another predicament at the academy’s doors, which are rotating doors. She falls while inside them, causing them to spin rapidly until they are both flung into the academy and all their belongings lie scattered on the floor.

Our other Barbie doesn’t seem the least bit annoyed or angry at what just happened, but rather amused, and says:

“I hope you’re better on the guitar than you are with doors.”

This marks beginning of their inside joke (yes, Barbie does get stuck in plenty of other doors).

Whilst they’re collecting their stuff, giggling at each other’s jokes, a member of staff informs them that they’ve arrived a day early. Aw damn! Fortunately, instead of going all the way back home, they’re allowed to set up their dorm (which they share — ‘and they were roommates’-) and get to spend the whole day together!

Until they get to their dorm, they have not idea that they both have identical names, so they adopt the nicknames ‘Malibu’ (because we all know Barbie lives in Malibu) and ‘Brooklyn’ (because Barbie is from Brooklyn). V cute! For the remainder of the movie they use those names, expect from around people they don’t know.

Then the first song starts, and it is a love song if I’ve ever heard one. The lyrics and visuals just show how quickly they’ve fallen for each other (bearing in mind, they only just met):

I love the concrete jungle

And I'm a beach girl

Together we're best of both possible worlds

Our duo's so dynamic

Like fire and rain

Together we can set it off

And make a Big Bang

Hey universe, look who's coming at ya

For the first time I found my perfect match and

How did we ever survive?

Before us (before us)

All I need now in my life

Is more us (is more us)

It's like we're meant to be like destiny so right

Yeah how did we ever survive?

Before us

And the second pre-chorus:

Through thick and thin we've got the brightest future

Where've you been cause I wish I'd met you sooner

Need i say more?

As for the visuals, here are some personal favourites (some of these things happen just before the song):

Here’s them playing a guitar duet together while snuggling into each other’s faces and throwing ‘I’m so in love with you’ glances at each other.

Here’s them dangling their slices of pizza above the other’s head and trying to stop the other from eating it. No idea how they found themselves doing that but, it’s really cute and they up laughing.

They also already share toothpaste…

and do other cool girlfriend things, such as:

Oh and Malibu gives Brooklyn a book, which seems to mean a lot to her because she hugs it to her chest. This book, i believe, is symbolic of their love for one another — the reasons behind this interpretation will become clearer later, but from this scene alone it’s evident that Malibu really likes Brooklyn, so much so that she willingly gives her a possession dear to her. A part of her if you will. Through this book, Brooklyn can learn more about Barbie and her interests — how cool eeeee

On an unrelated note, my sister and i like to think that the song ‘Try It On’, from Princess Adventure, is about trying different pronouns. So in the last film Malibu sang about pronouns and in this film she’s having a cool time with her gf Brooklyn and thinking about her sexuality/having her gay awakening part 2 (Dolphin Magic was part 1).

That aside, right after the song, they get on a train and Malibu has trouble with the doors yet again.

However, even though Malibu is imminent danger (to be more specific, when the train starts moving, she’ll probably die lmao), instead of wriggling out of the doors, she waits for Brooklyn to take her hand and pull her out.

Brooklyn doesn’t get annoyed either; she throws her some knowing glances and immediately eases Malibu’s embarrassment by joking about the situation:

Malibu: Was that a totally clueless tourist move?

Brooklyn: [sarcastically?] No, not at all!

Malibu: Honestly?

Brooklyn: [hint of sarcasm] No. [reaching for Malibu] Not at all.

Then they both lean in and laugh — it’s so sweettt

Now it’s time to sidetrack a little bit and talk about Brooklyn and Emily!

Soo, on the train, Malibu catches sight of a poster of the famous star Emily and, being a massive fan, enthuses about how great and popular she is. Brooklyn responds with apathy and disinterested remarks, pretending that she’s never heard of her, but then reveals (with pained expression) that she actually used to know Emily. She explains that they used to be good friends but one day Emily abruptly stopped talking to her; perhaps because her fame got to head.

At this point, i thought that maybe Brooklyn and Emily were in love but didn’t ever confess to each other — then Emmie left before either of them got the chance to.

Anyways, after that, the cutesttt thingg happens. Malibu, jet lagged and still adjusting to the time zone, yawns and Brooklyn teases her for getting sleepy. Drowsy Malibu protests, insisting that she isn’t tired because she wants to explore the rest of the city, but she falls asleep on Brooklyn’s shoulder. At this Brooklyn smiles, a long, lingering, fond smile; the kind where you’re lost the moment and thinking about something, or someone in her case. Still smiling, she then rests her head on Malibu’s and the two of them fall asleep.

Time skip to nighttime a couple days later when Ken gives Malibu a phone call. Dunno know much about the new Barbie Dreamhouse lore but Barbie nd Ken’s friendship is real cool — and being the supportive bestie that he is, Ken calls Barbie to ask how she’s doing nd encourage her. This phone call was well-timed because Malibu is feeling deflated from trying to keep up with the other students. She also tells Ken about Brooklyn; more specifically, she glances over at her while she’s sleeps and lovingly proclaims that she’s “amazing”.

It has only been a day and Malibu is already so enamoured with Brooklyn.

Alright, we’re just going to take a quick intermission for Rafa’s iconic self and equally as iconic line:

“The only labels we believe in are designer.”

Rafa is alsoo the designer that made the girls sparkly pride flag dresses: Malibu’s dress resembles the pansexual pride flag and Brooklyn’s somewhat resembles the bisexual pride flag. (Both dresses also have silver on them). Barbie, are you trying to tell us something?? (Can’t remember which movie it was but they also did the same thing with some fairies; they both had pride flag wings).

They also go on a little date later and change into their dresses, during which they take a surplus of selfies, stare at each other affectionately, hold hands and giddily spin around together.

It’s one of their very adorable moments because they seem to have made a habit of wandering off together in the city and ending up wherever, and wherever they go, they have an amazing time.

At one point during this little adventure, Brooklyn’s dad calls her and while she’s on the phone Malibu spontaneously tries to make her laugh — which works, and is so cute. She just wants to make her girlfriend happy.

Another thing that’s really cute about this is scene is what Brooklyn says to her dad on the phone:

“Yes. She’s very nice; you’d like her.” (About Malibu, while beaming at her with amusement and loving eyes). It’s as if she’s introducing her dad to her gf.

Then comes the big conflict, which even this couple’s bliss could not avoid. But before we get into that, let’s skip back a little to the moment when the girls and Rafa meet Emily.

So, to set the scene, it’s lunchtime, Brooklyn and Malibu are looking for a place to sit and they see free spaces at this table. Now, there’s someone already sitting at the table who introduces herself as Lee, when in actuality she’s Emily in disguise. She looks up and instantly notices Brooklyn; the surprise on her face is unmistakable.

Rafa comes by and sits next to Lee, whose disguise is soon blown by Brooklyn, who quickly realises that she’s Emily. Emily then explains that she’s wearing a disguise because she just wants a chance to train without anyone treating her differently because of her fame. She also tells them that when she started living with her dad, he stopped her from talking to her friends, basically so that he could exploit her fame.

i would include the scene or a gif here buuut I have surpassed the picture nd video limit, so here’s dialogue for the end of the scene:

Emily: “I even had to beg him [her father] too but my tour dates so I could come here this summer.”

Brooklyn: “I’m glad you did.”

Emily: “Yeah, me too. I’ve… missed you.”

Brooklyn: “Same.”

(They then smile fondly at each other in silence).

Brooklyn: “But don’t worry, I’m not gonna ask you for a selfie of for an autograph.”

Emily: “For you, I’d make an exception.”

Emily and Brooklyn are so obviously gay for each other, and, if you watch the whole scene, Malibu is just a bundle of gay excitement; it’s great.

Okay! So now let’s skip back to the present. Brooklyn, Malibu and Emmie are together on stage, presumably for a class of some sort, and warm-up together before it starts. Why? Well, Rafa is about to take a picture of everyone on stage and Emily, still wearing a disguise, doesn’t want to be noticed. So, being the considerate girlfriends they are, Brooklyn and Malibu walk Emily to rehearse in the corner furthest away from the camera.

The warm-up commences, and while they’re doing it, Emily catches Brooklyn bridal style and looks fondly into her eyes and she helps her back on her feet. Not only is this already incredibly adorable, but the fact that Brooklyn purposefully fell to be caught by Emmie makes it even better. That and the fact that Emily is a shortie.

Unfortunately, during this lovely scene, Malibu accidentally bumps into Brooklyn and she falls from the stage, resulting in a sprained ankle. From the instant that it happens, Malibu feels awful and at fault for her injury. It seems to be the only thing she think about, which is clear when she spends lunchtime ranting worriedly to Emily about it.

But as soon as she sees Brooklyn, she darts from her seat and to her side, all concerned but evidently excited to see her, and Brooklyn greets her with the same knowing smile and loving look she always has.

Brooklyn is actually on her way out of the building and Malibu, who was just eating lunch, follows her out. She just leaves her lunch to follow Brooklyn out of the academy to wherever she’s headed, all because she saw she was okay. It’s as if Malibu is so captivated by Brooklyn that she completely forgets herself — just gunna repeat this: they’re in love, i’m just saying!

Of course, on their way out, Malibu somehow got them stuck in the same rotating door situation as the first time they met — except this time she catches Brooklyn semi-bridal style. Once again, Brooklyn makes a joke out of what just happened to put Malibu at ease, which is just so sweet.

The girls end up at a park and another musical number commences.

The song’s actually pretty cool; they get to sing with Rafa, whose rapping part is nice. This song doesn’t lack in loving glances between Malibu and Brooklyn, and there are plenty of nuances of their affection. Here’s an example:

Interpret that clip how you will, but i like to think that Malibu is so taken by the moment that she almost kisses Brooklyn — and Brooklyn looks like she knows that Malibu’s about to, but they both decide against it in the last second. Why else would you stare into someone’s eyes and move that close to their face?

Alright so, we’re coming towards the end of the film, and now things are gunna take a turn for the worse.

Emily’s stinky, antagonistic father — who she is trying to get away from — decided to show up at the academy to make sure that Emily gets to perform at Times Square.

Annoyingly, he just had to be there when Malibu accidentally pushed Brooklyn off of the stage, so his bitchass uses the accident to his advantage by incriminating Malibu (i.e. claiming that she purposefully shoved Brooklyn to eliminate her competition) and has her expelled. All of this so that Emily has less competition in the contest to perform at Times Square.

So now Malibu is expelled, but before she gets the chance to tell Brooklyn, the headmistress does, and convinces Brooklyn that Malibu sabotaged her.

Upon hearing this, Brooklyn is in a state of shock and disbelief; she denies the possibility because she knows Malibu, and that she knows that Malibu cares about her — she would never do something like this. But this denial slowly becomes deep feelings of hurt and betrayal. It’s sad because, not too long ago, Brooklyn went through the same thing with Emily and now has to undergo that same emotional pain.

Throughout the scene, Brooklyn refers to ‘Barbie’ as ‘Malibu’ but realises that the headmistress has no idea who she’s taking about and hastily switches back to saying ‘Barbie’. Thought this was a nice detail as it could highlight how that was their personal thing, and how natural those nicknames became in such a short period of time. Alternatively, this could show the rift in their relationship as ‘Barbie’ seems formal now — she’s beginning to leave their amicability behind.

Later, Malibu finds Brooklyn in a practice room and tries to talk to her about what happened, but Brooklyn’s replies are cold because she believes what the headmistress said. Malibu protests, hurt that Brooklyn thinks she actually sabotaged her. They begin to argue, and then Brooklyn says the following:

“You know, for a while, I really I thought you were special.”

“I thought this [signalling between herself and Malibu] was special.”

“[Sighs] I guess I was wrong.”

At which I did squeal with a mixture of happiness and sadness; happy because i interpreted these lines to have romantic connotations, and sad because this is basically their break-up scene. Brooklyn called Malibu special!! She called their relationship special!!!! And with everything that’s happened so far, taking these words to mean something romantic just seemed right.

The song that follows is their version of Descendants’ ‘Space Between’, if you will. The lyrics, along with the music video, could be interpreted as a romantic ballad about heartbreak and reminisce.

Let’s take a look at the lyrics!

Brooklyn: Back here again, losing a friend

I thought I was strong, but I'm reeling

This time felt different, our connection was instant

But that was pure magical thinking

Brooklyn found a good friend in Malibu and then realised, now more than ever, that she loved her (suggested by the line “this time it felt different, our connection was instant”).

Sadly, their time together is now over and perhaps the idea that they could be something more was too good to be true, hence the line “but that was pure magical thinking” (as a pose to ‘wishful thinking’ — the change of phrasing here, from ‘wishful’ to ‘magical’, could refer to the surreal quality of their relationship and how ‘magical’ it was; like imagine meeting someone you get along perfectly with within a day of knowing them, you eat each other’s food, spontaneously gift them a an item of yours with sentimental value — in this case the book that Malibu gave Brooklyn, share toothpaste, wonder aimlessly around the city together, fall asleep on them, gaze at them fondly… etc etc).

Just move on from the pain

Soon it'll fade like a memory

You'll start over again

Evolving from this fateful origin story

The lyrics emphasise the extent of Brooklyn’s emotional withdrawal, which is a great amount. She’s trying to convince herself to move on but she keeps singing about Malibu, which could suggest that she’s having a difficult time letting go (further highlighting that she cared deeply about Malibu).

The line “soon it’ll fade like a memory” further implies that she doesn’t even want to forget about Malibu and allows their story to linger in her mind as a “memory”. “Fade” also suggests the gradual, instead of immediate, forgetting of their time together — her memories of their relationship may lose their vibrancy and colour, but they’ll still be there and somewhat intact.

Lastly, if i’m not mistaken, Brooklyn describes their relationship as a “fateful origin story” which are strong words — reemphasising the fact that what she and Malibu had was special.

A chariot streaks across the sky

So majestically

Two girls on an odyssey

In the city that never sleeps

Did a little research about what a “chariot” could symbolise in a romantic context and found out here (on a website about tarot cards, which i don’t know much about) that the chariot card? can mean that the person in question “has strong feelings for you, and they are trying to hold onto them without getting carried away by them”. Personally, i think this interpretation fits them because they refer to their bond as being special and surprisingly strong, and neither of them (not even now when they both feel betrayed) wants to let go/is finding it hard to let go. But they let themselves get carried away by the “magical thinking”, as Brooklyn put it.

However, the website also explains that these “strong feelings” could be a number of different things; romantic love, platonic love, hatred… And this could represent Brooklyn’s conflicting feelings as she sings this song; she’s not sure whether she loved Malibu, or if she hates her out of betrayal.

Riding high on a merry-go-round

Of modern mythology

Glory within reach

In the playground of our dreams, oh-whoa

The “playground” and “merry-go-round” described in the song could be symbols of eternal love, as merry-go-rounds spin and spin and spin, and the time you spend on the playground during your childhood seems to last forever. Nonetheless, at one point or another, these things come to an abrupt halt. But Malibu and Brooklyn weren’t prepared for the sudden stop their relationship would come to — perhaps they thought they’d last forever.

Our destiny with reality

In the race against the wind

Discovering a new part of me

In a fated friend

You’ll see it more as the song continues, but there is perhaps a semantic field of fate and mythology here. This brings to mind the star-crossed lovers trope: their encounter was destined, their relationship is basically sabotaged by external forces (namely, Emmie’s father), and it has now ended in tragedy.

Also, the line “discovering a new part of me in a faded friend” could be a continuation of the feelings expressed in the earlier lyric “this time felt different, our connection was instant”; could, in a romantic context, allude to her discovery of the fact that she likes girls, which she may’ve suspected with Emmie but confirmed with Malibu

Now you can read the rest, if you so wish, with just the occasional comment from me.

I knew finding you would be

An epic journey with no end

Or so that it seemed

In the playground of our dreams, oh-whoa

Brooklyn and Malibu: But you can't see shooting stars

In the city of marquee lights

Fate brought us together

Then tore us apart, tore us apart

Wish I could go back and restart

I'll race across the sky

To a world where dreams and friendships

Aren't destined to collide

Malibu: The chariot has landed

Stranded on this lonely island

Where great beginnings

Don't get happy endings

Glorious mythologies

Can slip out of your reach

In reality, best friends leave

The ride was just make believe

In the playground of our dreams, oh

One last thing before we move on from this love song; during the song we see Brooklyn enter their dorm to find all of Malibu’s stuff gone, except from the book she gave Brooklyn; which is lying alone on her naked mattress. Maybe she hopes that Brooklyn will remember her? Maybe she hopes that she remembers where they started? Maybe it’s a way of saying ‘you know the real me’? Either way, there seems to be this lingering hope on both sides that their relationship could be rekindled.

Right after the song ends, Brooklyn is practicing ballet in a dance studio, which may be her way of coping with/moving on from what just happened. Emily just so happens to walk up to the studio door, gazing fondly through the window with the most infatuation and fondness i have ever seen, at Brooklyn, and walks in.

She comes in just to see if Brooklyn’s okay and talk to her about the situation, but the expressions on her face just clearly indicate that she’s in love.

She also says that Brooklyn and Malibu “kinda reminded [her] of [herself and Brooklyn], you know?”, which says a lot because there is no heterosexual explanation for the way Emily looks at Brooklyn.

Moving on, when Malibu arrives home, she stays holed-up in her room, and when her parents come in to see how she’s doing, she says the following words:

Malibu’s mum: “Everyone who knows you would realises this is just a big misunderstanding.”

Malibu: [Exhales deeply] “I thought Brooklyn really knew me. Getting kicked out is unfair but, [voice gets croaky] Brooklyn thinking I pushed her? That’s worse.”

[Malibu’s parents leave and Playground of our Dreams instrumental version begins to play]

Aaaah she’s far more hurt by the fact that Brooklyn didn’t have faith in her than by losing the chance to fulfil the dream she struggled to keep in sight. Then, with sadness, she places her guitar in the space behind her mirror, where she can’t see it.

Interesting choice because every time she looks at herself she might be reminded of Brooklyn and everything she left behind in New York.

Malibu sinks into her knees and let’s out a lengthy sigh — but suddenly, she hears a faint singing voice. Listening intently, Malibu rises to her feet as the voice becomes clearer and clearer, until it’s owner is unmistakable. She dashes eagerly from her room to the bannister to find none other than Brooklyn singing ‘Before Us’ (their first song) at her front door. Brooklyn!! This girl flew all the way from New York to Malibu (which takes around 6 HOURS) just for Malibu, and to sing “how did we ever survive before us” to her, and also to apologise, and tell her that she’s not expelled because they found evidence of her innocence (courtesy of Rafa and Emmie).

Like she could’ve just called her, which would’ve been far more convenient. But she literally got her mum, who is a pilot, to fly her to Malibu (the place) and drive her to Malibu’s house.

Please, are they not in love???

They hold hands and hug and look at each other lovingly — even their parents give them the look: Malibu’s parents have the ‘oh okay, they’re in love let’s give them some privacy’ look on their faces and Brooklyn’s mum is just like ‘ohhh so this is the special girl she was telling me everything about’.

(Not to mention that the one of the first things Malibu notices about Brooklyn is her healed ankle — which is cute because it could suggest that her concern for Brooklyn came before anything else).

So after this, they fly back to the academy and find out that Barbie Roberts will be performing at Times Square. Which Barbie Roberts you ask? i honestly have no idea baghdhj because the film ends with them performing together in their pan and bi dresses.

Just lesbians being girlbosses on stage👏👏

Anddd thatt concludes this gay analysis of Big City Big Dreams! Sorry it was so long and if anyone is reading this, thanks for reading nd hope this has convinced you to watch the film✨

Fun hc for after the movie: Brooklyn and Malibu start dating nd Emmie confesses to Brooklyn, so they’re all dating now v cool